PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds sets record for most-played non-Valve game on Steam

Hit online shooter is going from strength to strength

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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is a shooter which has been generating more and more buzz and excitement of late, and the latest news is that the game has just become the third most popular title on Steam – setting a new record for the most-played non-Valve game ever.

That’s not bad for a shooter which is officially still in beta testing (Steam early access). Going by concurrent player numbers (provided by Steam Spy), PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) just racked up a peak player count of 481,291, which beat out fourth place Fallout 4’s peak all-time tally of 471,955 – and fifth place GTA V’s count of 360,761.

Sales and spectators

So there’s still a long way to go yet to potentially challenge these two giants of Steam gaming, but as mentioned, PUBG is still in beta. The game has already crested the 6 million mark in terms of sales, and is also a firm favorite with spectators, having racked up around 8.6 million YouTube views for videos uploaded last week.

The idea of the game is a simple ‘Battle Royale’ online shooter whereby a hundred players are dropped into a large level, in order to scavenge weapons (along with armor and other equipment) and fight to be the last man standing.

It’s a simple idea, but highly compelling in its execution, and a more accessible competitive online game than, say, the likes of the aforementioned Valve titles. PUBG is expected to see a full release before the end of the year. We’ve got some tips and tricks on the shooter right here.